青藏高原东缘四姑娘山花岗岩地球化学特征和锆石U-Pb年代学证据

松潘-甘孜地体中的花岗岩主要形成于印支晚期至燕山初期,其主体是扬子地块沿龙门山构造带向松潘-甘孜地体内楔入导致松潘-甘孜地体中下地壳低速层发生部分熔融的结果.虽然在松潘-甘孜地体中多数岩体长轴走向和矿物定向均呈北西向,但过去区调中划分的北西向的金川-理县构造岩浆带不能代表这种楔入作用的产物,而应重新划分为北东向的道孚-金川-小金-黑水构造岩浆带,四姑娘山岩体是这个北东向构造岩浆带中的典型岩体.四姑娘山花岗岩属高Ba-Sr的钙碱性岩石,具有碰撞花岗岩的特征和岛弧花岗岩的某些特征,而非A型花岗岩;其岩浆成分以中下地壳为主并有幔源特质的加入,其锆石普遍具有岩浆锆石的特征.通过对四姑娘山花岗岩体的黑云母花岗闪长岩中的23粒锆石激光探针U-Pb定年,确定其岩浆结晶年龄为燕山早期(191±1)Ma.此年龄对解决龙门山断裂带形成的初始时间具有重要意义.     

松潘甘孜地块四姑娘山花岗岩锆石U-Pb年代学证据及与汶川地震的关系

松潘甘孜地体东部的花岗岩主要形成于印支晚期至燕山初期,其中四姑娘山花岗岩体的锆石普遍具有岩浆锆石的特征。通过四姑娘山花岗岩体的黑云母花岗闪长岩中的23粒锆石的锆石激光探针U-Pb定年,确定其岩浆结晶年龄为燕山早期(191±1)Ma,此年龄对解决龙门山断裂带形成的初始时间有重要意义。虽然在松潘甘孜地体多数岩体长轴走向和矿物定向均呈北西向,但过去区调中划分的北西向的金川—理县构造岩浆带不能代表这种楔入作用的产物,而应重新划分为北东向的道孚—金川—小金—黑水构造岩浆带,四姑娘山岩体是这个北东向构造岩浆带中的典型。这些花岗岩主要是扬子地块沿龙门山构造带向松潘甘孜地体内楔入导致松潘甘孜地体中下地壳低速层发生部分熔融的结果。地球物理资料显示,四姑娘山地区是有"山根"的,这些"山根"主要由巨大的花岗岩基组成,它们不是引起汶川地震的原因,但是减弱了汶川地震的地震波向西北方向的青藏高原传递,并对汶川地震时的龙门山断裂带向西南段的扩张起了一定的阻挡作用,即降低了汶川地震的大量余震在龙门山断裂带西南段发生的概率。     

松潘- 甘孜造山带南部江浪穹隆中侏罗世花岗岩及构造意义

新火山和乌拉溪花岗岩体侵位于松潘-甘孜造山带南部的江浪穹隆中,是理解松潘-甘孜造山带的构造演化的重要窗口.锆石U-Pb定年结果表明新火山和乌拉溪花岗岩体的结晶年龄为162±1～170±0.5 Ma.岩体主要由石英、斜长石、钾长石和少量黑云母组成,具有低A/CNK(1.10～0.99)、TFeO/MgO(8.55～2.83)和K2O/Na2O(1.34～0.51),较低的Zr+Nb+Ce+Y浓度(平均258×10-6),Al2O3、P2O5与SiO2呈负相关,相当于I型花岗岩的特征.一些主微量元素具有明显的关联性,说明在岩浆演化过程中发生了分离结晶(例如:角闪石和钛铁矿).富集轻稀土和大离子亲石元素,亏损高场强元素,并具有较低的Mg#值(38.7～17.3)和Y/Nb值(0.45～0.16)以及多数为负的εHf(t)值(-24.8～-7.6),证明岩浆可能起源于古老地壳的部分熔融并受到幔源或者新生地壳熔融混染.松潘-甘孜地块的中侏罗世岩浆活动是在造山运动向陆内伸展这一构造体制转化背景下,由于地壳伸展造成了古老中基性地壳的部分熔融.     

松潘-甘孜地体内花岗岩锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年及其构造意义

松潘-甘孜地体总体上是一个三角状褶皱带,其北侧、东南侧及东侧分别与东昆仑-西秦岭构造带、金沙江构造带及龙门山构造带相邻。地体内几乎全部被三叠系浊积岩所覆盖,其中侵位了很多花岗岩体。显然,这些花岗岩的岩浆特征、来源与侵位时代,对研究松潘-甘孜地体基底性质、构造演化等问题具有重要意义。本文报道利用SHRIMP定年技术对一些花岗岩岩体锆石所进行的精确测年数据。测试结果表明:(1)松潘-甘孜地体内的花岗岩体主要形成于晚三叠世,但岩浆活动可延续到早侏罗世晚期;(2)早期花岗岩浆活动与三叠纪系褶皱变形大致同期,指示这一时期的花岗岩浆的形成可能与三叠系下部大型拆离滑脱构造相关;(3)花岗岩结晶锆石普遍具有浑圆状或不规则状较老的继承锆石核,这些核部继承锆石可能代表花岗岩浆在上升过程中从不同地层内捕获的碎屑锆石,或者是下地壳岩石深熔残留锆石。根据SHRING U-Pb定年,这些继承锆石的年龄分别为二叠纪、加里东期、晚元古代和早元古代。元古代碎屑锆石的存在也可能指示松潘-甘孜地体具前寒武系基底。     

松潘-甘孜造山带北段岗龙乡花岗岩岩石成因及地球动力学特征

对松潘-甘孜北部岗龙地区的花岗岩岩株进行了详细的岩石地球化学、锆石U-Pb年代学和锆石Hf同位素的研究,探讨了其成因。结果表明,锆石LA-ICP-MS测年年龄分别为(207.5±2),(209±2.4)Ma,形成时期为晚三叠世。SiO_2质量分数较高,高K低Na。Al_2O_3质量分数高,为强过铝质。轻稀土元素富集,具明显的Eu负异常,亏损Ba、Nb、Ta、Sr、Ti,富集Rb、Th、Pb、Hf等,具有S型花岗岩特征,锆石εHf(t)值在-18.6~4.7之间,推测为三叠纪浊流沉积经部分熔融结晶而成,并受到地幔物质的混染,通过锆石饱和温度,推测幔源岩浆为岩体的形成提供了热源。结合松潘-甘孜造山带区域地质背景及岩浆演化规律分析表明,松潘-甘孜造山带印支期花岗岩形成于地壳拆沉作用,岗龙地区S型花岗岩是中地壳重融作用形成。     

松潘-甘孜造山带晚三叠世新山沟A型花岗岩年代学和地球化学研究

为探讨松潘-甘孜造山带南部新山沟岩体的成因和构造演化背景及时代,对其开展了岩石学、元素地球化学和年代学研究.结果 显示,新山沟岩体具有高K2O(3.84％～6.15％)、富铝(14.23％ ～ 16.36％)特征,为准铝质富钾钙碱性A型花岗岩系列;其∑REE为260.17×10-6～333.91×10-6,LREE/HREE为9.00～11.00,Y/Yb值5.94～6.9,属轻稀土相对富集、重稀土比较平坦的右倾海鸥型配分模式;30颗锆石的206 pb/238U加权平均年龄为(209.4±3.3) Ma,为晚三叠世晚期;单颗粒锆石的饱和温度为939～1038℃,锆石Ti温度计计算的温度为718～863℃.研究认为,新山沟岩体属A型花岗岩中的PA(或A2)型,岩浆起源于后碰撞岩石圈拆沉、软流圈上涌所携带的热量诱发中-下地壳发生部分熔融,造成岩浆上侵就位,从而形成以地壳岩浆为主体、伴有地幔物质加入的新山沟岩体(壳幔混合型),标志着松潘-甘孜造山带三叠纪造山作用的结束.     

川西容须卡锂辉石矿床石英闪长岩锆石LA-ICP MS测年及构造意义

针对松潘-甘孜造山带中部的容须卡锂辉石矿床中进行了详细的岩石学、地球化学2件石英闪长岩、3件花岗岩闪长岩及锆石U-Pb年代学1件研究,结果表明,岩体具有中-高硅(59.05%～67.67%),高钾(1.64%～2.46%)、富钙(4.11%～7.38%)、贫铝(10.63%～17.61%),铝饱和指数(A/CNK0.58～1.15)偏低的特征,并且岩体中普遍含角闪石,岩石类型属Ⅰ型花岗岩系列。稀土总量变化较大,稀土配分曲线为右倾型,轻稀土相对富集。δEu为0.75～1.63,平均为0.90,具有较弱的负铕异常。野外观测、镜下鉴定及微量元素地球化学特征均显示该岩体原始岩浆起源于壳-幔混熔或下地壳物质的部分熔融,属下地壳重熔的I型高钾钙碱性花岗岩系列岩石。微量元素构造环境判别投点位于火山弧花岗岩区域,与岛弧型花岗岩具有相似的特征,形成于松潘-甘孜造山带碰撞后构造背景,源区可能来自黑云母的脱水熔融。容须卡黑云母石英闪长岩锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb加权平均年龄为214.4Ma±1.2Ma(MSWD=0.064),表明容须卡岩体原始岩浆的初始结晶时代为晚三叠世。容须卡岩体形成于晚三叠世碰撞后构造环境,是壳-幔岩浆的拆沉作用导致壳-幔混熔的产物,(含稀有金属)伟晶岩脉与与该花岗岩体在成因上有联系。     

福建建瓯上房花岗岩热液锆石U-Pb年龄及地质学意义

建瓯上房白钨矿产于上房正长花岗岩体的外接触带上。上房正长花岗侵入时代为晚侏罗世。在上房矿区2线ZK201处正长花岗岩(样品SF201)中发现了一类不同于岩浆锆石的锆石类型,锆石中具有较多的包裹体,Th/U比值低(0.02~0.17,平均0.07),稀土元素含量高,配分模式左倾平缓,Ce异常不明显,Eu负异常(Eu/Eu*0.06)极显著。研究表明其属于热液锆石。利用LA-ICP-MS定年,热液锆石具2组谐和年龄,其中一组加权平均年龄为(232.6±2.2)Ma(MSWD=0.74);另一组加权平均年龄为(218.8±6.9)Ma。前者代表了印支期岩浆侵入结晶年龄,后者可能代表了印支期后的热液叠加改造年龄。这些热液锆石是燕山早期(晚侏罗世)岩浆侵位过程中捕获的印支期岩浆锆石,暗示存在隐伏的印支期岩体,或是燕山早期花岗岩来自于深部印支期花岗岩的部分熔融(再造)。分析认为,福建省印支期岩浆活动强烈,花岗岩广泛存在,但不能仅从测年数据确定其形成时代,应着重分析和调查接触关系、岩相学特征等。利用锆石定年还要加强研究锆石成因类型。印支期花岗岩可能与华南钨多金属成矿有一定的关系,初步富集钨多金属的印支期花岗岩在燕山早期部分熔融形成含钨岩浆,为钨多金属成矿提供了成矿物质。     

粤北笋洞和岩庄花岗岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

粤北下庄铀矿田是我国确定的第一个花岗岩型铀矿田,矿田内的岩浆活动具有加里东、印支和燕山多期、多阶段的特点,并以印支期为主体,但部分花岗岩体的划分、命名和时代归属仍需进一步研究。现有资料显示,矿田中部的笋洞岩体又被归入中南部的高栋岩体,但笋洞岩体的单颗粒锆石稀释法年龄为189 Ma、而高栋岩体的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄为236～232 Ma,二者分别属于燕山期和印支期岩浆活动的产物;矿田中西部的岩庄岩体又被视为笋洞岩体的一部分,但岩庄岩体的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄为161 Ma,小于笋洞和高栋岩体年龄。针对这些问题,本次研究在深入研究笋洞岩体、岩庄岩体岩相学特征的基础上,采用SHRIMP锆石U-Pb法测定了它们的锆石U-Th-Pb的含量,发现笋洞和岩庄花岗岩不仅含有捕获锆石,而且笋洞岩体还含有高铀锆石。剔除这些捕获锆石和高铀锆石的年龄数据后,笋洞中粗粒二云母花岗岩和岩庄细粒二云母花岗岩的锆石²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U加权平均年龄分别为240.0±2.4 Ma(N=15、MSWD=0.98)和234.4±2.4 Ma(N=13、MS...     

湖南九嶷山复式花岗岩体SHRIMP锆石定年及其地质意义

应用SHRIMP锆石U-Pb法获得九嶷山复式花岗岩中的主要岩体形成年龄为:雪花顶花岗岩(432±21)Ma、金鸡岭花岗岩(156±2)Ma、砂子岭花岗岩(157±1)Ma和西山火山-侵入杂岩(156±2)Ma。结果显示砂子岭岩体属燕山早期而非印支期;西山火山-侵入杂岩属燕山早期而非燕山晚期。花岗岩中继承锆石复杂,其形成时代为1579Ma、2108Ma和2669Ma,提供了九嶷山地区存在古-中元古代,甚至太古代基底的年龄信息。新元古代(912Ma)锆石的大量出现为扬子陆块和华夏陆块碰撞带通过本区的认识提供了一个间接证据。     

西大别造山带夏店岩体锆石U-Pb年代学、地球化学特征及其A型花岗岩的厘定

对西大别造山带夏店岩体进行了系统的锆石LA-ICP-MSU-Pb定年、岩石地球化学研究,发现该岩体化学成分具富硅、碱,贫钙、镁、铝等特点;岩石轻稀土元素富集,重稀土元素亏损,轻重稀土元素分馏明显,Eu亏损明显;Rb、K、Th等大离子亲石元素和Pb元素富集,Ta、Nb、Ti等高场强元素亏损和Sr、Ba元素亏损;岩石成因类型上属于A型花岗岩。LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年结果显示夏店岩体~(206)Pb/~(238)U加权平均年龄为130.0±1.8 Ma,代表岩体的结晶年龄,显示该岩体为早白垩世岩浆活动的产物。夏店岩体A型花岗岩形成于造山期后环境,预示着桐柏-大别造山带板内演化阶段的到来。     

LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon dating of the Bozhushan granite in Southeast Yunnan

The LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon dating of eight typical samples from four units of the Bozhushan granite intrusion in southeastern Yunnan Province, constrains the age of acidic magmatic intrusion in this area. Both the oscillatory zoning and chondrite-normalized REE patterns characterized by LREE-depletion and HREE-enrichment with positive Ce anomaly and negative Eu anomaly indicate the magmatic genesis of these zircons. Eight zircon samples from the Bozhushan granite yielded a mean 206 Pb/ 238 U age of (85.58±1.0) Ma (MSWD=4.1) to (88.10±0.66) Ma (MSWD=1.8). These chronology data suggest an accurate isotopic age for the intrusion of the Bozhushan granite, and are different from the published age data of 48 to 111.5 Ma. The geochronology data of the Gejiu, Dulong and Dachang super-large deposits and related Yanshanian granites indicated that there occurred large-scale granitic magmatism and mineralization events in western Nanling region during the Late Cretaceous.     

广东大宝山多金属矿床花岗岩锆石LA-ICP-MSU-Pb定年及其地质意义

广东大宝山矿床位于南岭花岗岩带中带。它是我国著名的大型多金属矿床,开采历史久远。近年来的研究表明大宝山矿床与成矿作用有关的斑岩体为燕山早期岩浆活动的产物,因而人们较多地关注中生代的岩浆活动,而忽视了对其他时代岩浆活动的研究。本文在前人研究的基础上,利用锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年方法系统地测试了大宝山多金属矿床多个花岗质岩体和辉绿岩脉的形成时代,研究表明徐屋片理化流纹斑岩年龄为426.9±2.2Ma、九曲岭黑云母花岗闪长斑岩、船肚花岗闪长岩和大宝山花岗闪长斑岩形成时代分别为162.2±0.7Ma、160.2±0.9Ma和161.0±0.9Ma。矿区内两条辉绿岩脉的年龄分别为210.4±1.4Ma和163.9±1.8Ma。这些结果证实大宝山矿区内存在加里东期、印支期和燕山期等多个旋回的岩浆活动,中晚侏罗世铁镁质的岩浆活动可能存在对成矿的贡献。     

Riftogenic magmatism of western part of the Early Mesozoic Mongolian–Transbaikalian igneous province: Results of geochronological studies

Geochronological studies of rocks from a bimodal high-alkali volcanic–plutonic complex collected in the area of Kharkhorin zone of the Early Mesozoic Mongolian–Transbaikalian igneous province (MTIP) are made. The age of alkali granites from Olziit sum is 211 ± 1 Ma (U–Pb ID-TIMS on zircon) to 209 ± 2 and 217 ± 4 Ma (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar on alkali amphibole); the age of alkali granite-porphyries from the area of Sant sum is 206 ± 1 Ma (U–Pb ID-TIMS on zircon). These rock series formed syncronously to the analogous magmatism episode in the Northern Gobi and Western Transbaikalian rift zones of the MTIP. The similarity of the age and composition of igneous associations of the MTIP suggests a common mechanism of its formation related to the effect of a mantle plume on the continental lithosphere at the base of the entire igneous zone having a zonal structure.     

粤北长江铀矿田花岗岩独居石U-Pb同位素定年及其地质意义

长江铀矿田位于诸广山复式岩体中南部,是典型的花岗岩型铀矿田.前人采用锆石U-Pb定年方法对赋矿花岗岩进行了年代学研究,但由于全岩和锆石铀含量较高,锆石往往发生了蜕晶化,可能导致锆石U-Pb定年数据散乱,影响锆石U-Pb年龄的可靠性.独居石是花岗岩中广泛存在的含铀副矿物,铀和钍含量均较高,可达10000×10-6,普通铅...     

The age of the Kagenfels granite (northern Vosges) and its bearing on the intrusion scheme of late Variscan granitoids

In the Saxothuringian part of the Vosges (France), a first series of Variscan plutonic rocks (diorites to granites) has been intruded by several younger granites. Rocks of both the older generations have been cross-cut by the late orogenic Kagenfels granite. The averages of the hitherto published mineral ages of the earlier rock generations are 331 and 334 Ma, respectively, whereas Rb-Sr and K-Ar dates around 290 Ma have been reported for the Kagenfels granite. Because of the unlikely large age hiatus, a redetermination of the intrusion age of the Kagenfels granite formation appeared to be irrevocable. The newly obtained mineral ages on the Kagenfels granite (K-Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar biotite ages as well as single zircon radiogenic ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb data: 331 ± 5 Ma) are about 40 Ma older than the previous results. They are interpreted as giving the time of emplacement of the Kagenfels granite during the latest Visan. The mineral ages of the earlier plutonic rocks in this part of the Variscan Orogeny in all probability are not significantly different from their ages of intrusion. Therefore the age concordance of all three granitoid generations constrains a rather narrow time interval of orogenic magmatism close to the Lower-Upper Carboniferous boundary.     

U–Pb geochronology of gneisses and granitoids from the Danish island of Bornholm: new evidence for 1.47–1.45 Ga magmatism at the southwestern margin of the East European Craton

The Danish island of Bornholm is located at the southwestern margin of the Fennoscandian Shield, and features exposed Precambrian basement in its northern and central parts. In this paper, we present new U–Pb zircon and titanite ages for granites and orthogneisses from 13 different localities on Bornholm. The crystallization ages of the protolith rocks all fall within the range 1,475–1,445 Ma (weighted average ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages of zircon). Minor age differences, however, may imply a multi-phase emplacement history of the granitoid complex. The presence of occasional inherited zircons (with ages of 1,700–1,800 Ma) indicates that the Bornholm granitoids were influenced by older crustal material. The east–west fabric observed in most of the studied granites and gneisses, presumably originated by deformation in close connection with the magmatism at 1,470–1,450 Ma. Most titanite U–Pb ages fall between 1,450 and 1,430 Ma, reflecting post-magmatic or post-metamorphic cooling. Granitoid magmatism at ca. 1.45 Ga along the southwestern margin of the East European Craton has previously been reported from southern Sweden and Lithuania. The ages obtained in this study indicate that the Bornholm magmatism also was part of this Mesoproterozoic event.     

Zircon age and Nd–Hf isotopic composition of the Yunnan Tethyan belt,southwestern China

The Baoshan block of the Tethyan Yunnan, southwestern China, is considered as northern part of the Sibumasu microcontinent. Basement of this block that comprises presumably greenschist-facies Neoproterozoic metamorphic rocks is covered by Paleozoic to Mesozoic low-grade metamorphic sedimentary rocks. This study presents zircon ages and Nd–Hf isotopic composition of granites generated from crustal reworking to reveal geochemical feature of the underlying basement. Dating results obtained using the single zircon U–Pb isotopic dilution method show that granites exposed in the study area formed in early Paleozoic (about 470 Ma; Pingdajie granite) and in late Yanshanian (about 78–61 Ma, Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary; Huataolin granite). The early Paleozoic granite contains Archean to Mesoproterozoic inherited zircons and the late Yanshanian granite contains late Proterozoic to early Paleozoic zircon cores. Both granites have similar geochemical and Nd–Hf isotopic charateristics, indicating similar magma sources. They have whole-rock T _DM(Nd) values of around 2,000 Ma and zircon T _DM(Hf) values clustering around 1,900–1,800 and 1,600–1,400 Ma. The Nd–Hf isotopic data imply Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic crustal material as the major components of the underlying basement, being consistent with a derivation from Archean and Paleoproterozoic terrains of India or NW Australia. Both granites formed in two different tectonic events similarly originated from intra-crustal reworking. Temporally, the late Yanshanian magmatism is probably related to the closure of the Neotethys ocean. The early Paleozoic magmatism traced in the Baoshan block indicates a comparable history of the basements during early Paleozoic between the SE Asia and the western Tethyan belt, such as the basement outcrops in the Alpine belt and probably in the European Variscides that are considered as continental blocks drifting from Gondwana prior to or simultaneously with those of the SE Asia.     

Geochemical studies of Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopes on the Guojialing granite suite: Implications to region Au mineralization in the Jiaodong ore-cluster region

Based on the systematic elemental and isotope geochemical study on the Guojialing granite that is closely related to the gold mineralization in the Jiaodong ore-cluster region, further understandings have been made regarding its genetic mechanism, source material and gold mineralization conditions of the Guojialing granites. The (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i values of Guojialing granite range from 0.7106 to 0.7120, and the εNd(t) from −18.1 to −13.2, respectively, which are similar to the initial SrNd isotopic compositions of those Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous granites widely distributed in the Sulu orogenic belt, indicating similar sources of these intrusions in both Jiaodong and Su-Lu regions. The values of (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb)_i and(²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb)_i of Guojialing granite are from 17.158–17.316, 15.453–15.478, respectively, indicating that the source of granites could be originated from mantle mixed with orogenic belt. The zircon Hf isotope of the Guojialing granite is decoupled from the Nd isotope of the whole rock, it has a zircon Hf model age(1979–3202 Ma) older than the full-rock Nd model age (1928 Ma). Compared to the full-rock Nd model age, the zircon Hf model age provides a more reliable age of crust-mantle differentiation and crust formation, suggesting that there is extensive crust deep-melting in the source area before the granitic magma activity, which was accompanied by strong Sm/Nd differentiation. Guojialing granite has similar characteristics to adakite, indicating that garnet is an important residual phase during magma formation. The formation of the Guojialing granite magma may be the partial melting of lithospheric mantle and thickened lower crust under eclogite facies, mixed with significant Neoarchaean crust or even Linglong granites when the magma upwelling. The Guojialing granite has high zircon Ce⁴⁺/Ce³⁺ ratios with the average values of 1151.7 and 811.4 respectively, indicating that the Guojialing granite was formed in a high oxygen fugacity environment, where sulfur is mainly present in the form of SO or SO₂, which prevents the immiscibility of sulfides in the magma and avoids the removal of the sulfide metal elements. With crystallization differentiation, high oxygen fugitive magma will become a magma-hydrothermal fluid which is rich in sulfide metal elements, providing favorable material and environmental conditions for gold mineralization, thus favorably formed such giant gold deposit.     

Monazite trumps zircon: applying SHRIMP U–Pb geochronology to systematically evaluate emplacement ages of leucocratic,low-temperature granites in a complex Precambrian orogen

Although zircon is the most widely used geochronometer to determine the crystallisation ages of granites, it can be unreliable for low-temperature melts because they may not crystallise new zircon. For leucocratic granites U–Pb zircon dates, therefore, may reflect the ages of the source rocks rather than the igneous crystallisation age. In the Proterozoic Capricorn Orogen of Western Australia, leucocratic granites are associated with several pulses of intracontinental magmatism spanning ~800 million years. In several instances, SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dating of these leucocratic granites either yielded ages that were inconclusive (e.g., multiple concordant ages) or incompatible with other geochronological data. To overcome this we used SHRIMP U–Th–Pb monazite geochronology to obtain igneous crystallisation ages that are consistent with the geological and geochronological framework of the orogen. The U–Th–Pb monazite geochronology has resolved the time interval over which two granitic supersuites were emplaced; a Paleoproterozoic supersuite thought to span ~80 million years was emplaced in less than half that time (1688–1659 Ma) and a small Meso- to Neoproterozoic supersuite considered to have been intruded over ~70 million years was instead assembled over ~130 million years and outlasted associated regional metamorphism by ~100 million years. Both findings have consequences for the duration of associated orogenic events and any estimates for magma generation rates. The monazite geochronology has contributed to a more reliable tectonic history for a complex, long-lived orogen. Our results emphasise the benefit of monazite as a geochronometer for leucocratic granites derived by low-temperature crustal melting and are relevant to other orogens worldwide.